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CHAPTER - VI

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND POLICY IMPLICATION

The study is under taken with the objectives as follows:

Objectives of the Study

The specific objectives of the study are as follows:

1. To study the socio-economic conditions of the selected farmers.

2. To analyse the cropping pattern, yield levels, economies of agriculture of

selected farmers.

3. To identify the contributory factors for farmer suicides and

4. To critically review the relief and rehabilitation measures for the

families of the deceased farmers.

2. Hypotheses

1. Social factors have influenced farmers’ suicides

2. A strong correlation exists between farmers’ indebtedness and suicides

3. Agriculture is a losing proposition in Warangal district

4. Relief and rehabilitation measures have helped the family members of the

victims or deceased farmers.

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Research Questions

1. Whether agricultural input supply is free from exploitation?

2. What are the contributory factors at the macro-level for agrarian crisis

and farmer suicides?

3. Whether economic factors influence the decision of farmers in

committing suicides?

4. What are the major challenges encountered in the implementation of

relief and rehabilitation packages?

5. Whether addictions to drinking and gambling, and also illegal sexual

relations drive farmers to suicide?

6. Whether agriculture is a profit earning enterprise?

Methodology

Warangal district in Andhra Pradesh is selected for the study purposively

as it recorded a high rate of farmer suicides.

The study is based on both primary and secondary sources of

information and data. Secondary data includes season and crop reports,

statistical abstracts of Andhra Pradesh, National Crime Records of Bureau

(NCRB), published and unpublished works of scholars, reports and

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monographs published by Andhra Pradesh State Government and Central

Government.

Primary data and information are collected from the respondents who

happen to be close members of the deceased farmers. The data are collected by

adopting personal interview method through a pre-tested schedule specially

designed for the purpose. Focused Group Discussions (FGD) are also held with

the members of the victims’ families and the villagers as well to solicit general

information and their impressions, views and suggestions pertaining to the

issues.

The collected information and data are scrutinised for accuracy and

uniformity, and then tabulated. Some statistical tools such as, percentages,

averages, range, chi square tests and regression analysis are used in analysing

and interpreting the data.

Sample Design

As stated already Warangal district is selected purposively for the study.

Three Revenue divisions, namely Warangal, Jangaon and Mulugu are selected

for a focused study. Two Mandals from each revenue division are selected as

these areas have recorded a large number of farmers’ suicides. Further, from

each Mandal, all villages which experienced farmer suicides were chosen

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purposively. A sample of 163 farmers constitutes the respondents. They are

classified into three categories; the first group consists of farmers with less than

one acre, while the second and third groups with 1 - 2.5 acres, and 2.5 acres

and above respectively.

The study pertains to the periods from 2011- 2013. Data was collected in 2013.

During the pre-Green Revolution period of agriculture development after

the Independence, food was the main problem. Bringing new lands under the

plough and provision of irrigation were the two measures taken by the

Government. During the Green Revolution period, modern agricultural

technology, nationalisation of banks and establishment of Agricultural Prices

Commission did help the farmers to improve their agricultural production and

also get better prices for their agricultural commodities. In the Post Green

Revolution period, rich farmers got the benefit while small and marginal

farmers are bypassed. During the Reforms period, the New Economic Policy

and WTO policies have contributed to the agrarian crisis. Further, the agrarian

crisis deepened in the subsequent years. The crisis is manifested in declining

output growth rate, farmers’ indebtedness, low level of farmers’ income,

poverty, food problem, low productivity of crops, out migration of poor

farmers and labours, loss making agriculture etc.

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According to NCRB, (the Government of India) Maharashtra, Andhra

Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Chattisgarh are the five States where farmers’

suicides were occurred most.

BCs, SCs and STs form the major part of the farmers committing

suicides in the selected Warangal district. The percentage of female population

in the selected households is more than male population. The major activity of

the respondents is agriculture. The literacy level among the respondents is very

low. About 50 per cent of them are illiterates. Only 30 out of 163 respondents

are members of the cooperative societies.

Economic aspects

It is noted that common property resources have declined drastically in

the selected villages which caused great trouble to the farmers. All the selected

farm households were small and marginal farmers. About 83 per cent of the

farmers depend on rainfed agriculture. Among the selected farmers, as many as

129 are dry land farmers and 39 were irrigated farmers who also possessed dry

lands. The live stock position in the selected households was very poor.

Majority of the farmers did not possess implements and machinery and

consumer goods.

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The total outstanding loan per farmer in less than 1 acre group was Rs

36,786. The same in the 1-2.5 acres group is Rs 38,291 and in the third group

it is Rs 41,932. It is noted that less than half of the farmers received loans from

the banks. Private sources are still dominating rural credit market .Cotton,

paddy, maize, chillies, pulses and vegetables are the main the crops grown by

the selected farmers. Majority of the small and marginal farmers hired out their

labour.

Analysis of contributory factors for farmers suicides

1. Farmers indebtedness

The first and foremost contributory factor for farmers’ suicides is

their indebtedness. A farmer committed suicide because of debt trap,

since the loans outstanding piled up over a period of time. The farmers’

major source of loans is the private sources. The rate of interest is

considered to be usurious.

The major factors responsible for accumulation of debts are

increasing cultivation expenses and unremunerative prices for

agriculture produce.

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2. Crop loss and failure and risk factor

Crop loss emerged as the second major factor forcing farmers to end

their lives. The crop loss is mainly due to adverse seasonal conditions,

lack of irrigation, pests and disease attack, inferior quality of seed etc.

3. The input related problems are the seed, fertilisers, pesticides, irrigation,

credit etc. Not only the quality of inputs is inferior but also their prices

are very high. Further they are not easily accessible, since all these are

controlled by private markets forces totally. The role of Government is

very marginal.

The institutional finance to the farmers is quite inadequate and

inaccessible to many.

The farmers mostly depend upon input dealers for technical advice.

Agricultural extension system has totally failed.

Agricultural infrastructure is grossly under developed. No storage or

cold storage facilities are available.

The farmers faced the exploitative agriculture marketing system.

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F. Agricultural Credit

About 77 per cent of the selected farmers are reportedly not getting

institutional finance. About 43 per cent of the farmers stated that the

institutional finance they get is adequate for their cultivation purposes. About

90 per cent of the farmers reported that they do not get credit in time, which is

so essential for taking up timely farming operations.

4). Failure of Agricultural Extension

This cause for farmers’ suicides is highlighted by 70 per cent of the

respondents. Technical knowledge of the farmers is found to be very low

regarding most of the agricultural production, particularly soils, nutrient status,

suitability of soils and weather conditions to different crops, agronomic

practices, fertiliser types and doses for different crops, crop pests and deceases

and control measures, suitability of crop varieties, etc. It is reported that 16 per

cent of technical knowledge is being transferred to the farmers. Several

agencies are the sources of technical knowledge to farmers. As per the input

dealers provide technical information, while the government extension system

has totally collapsed and the farmers suffer from want of unbiased scientific

advice. The uniformed input dealers give advice to promote their business.

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5). Lack of Storage and Marketing facilities

It is noted from that none of the selected farmer has storage facility to

store the agriculture produce. They also have no withholding capacity either in

physical terms or economic terms. About 77 per cent of the selected farmers

sold their agriculture produce in the market yard. However, about 23 per cent

of farmers, mostly farmers of the category -1, resorted to selling their produce

to the middlemen with in the village itself.

6. Lack of remunerative prices

An overwhelming number of farmers (about 85 per cent of the farmers

on the whole) reported that they do not get fair prices for their produce. Further

their loans are linked to sale of produce to the traders at prefixed prices.

Farmers have been incurring losses due to this sort of hedging. Minimum

Support Price (MSP) fixed by the GoI for various crops are found to be far

lower when compared with the cost of production. Minimum Support Price is

not implemented in several cases and that is why farmers do not even get MSP

to their products. This is the one of the main causes for farmers’ distress and

suicides.

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7. Absence of Agricultural Insurance

In the personal interviews with the respondent farmers and also focused

group discussions held in the villages, it is revealed that 80 per cent of the

farmers were not aware of the existence of an insurance scheme and none of

them got indemnity or compensation for crop loss. Even in the case of insured

farmers.

MACRO-LEVEL PERSPECTIVES OF AGRARIAN CRISIS AND

FAREMRS’ SUICIDES

Agrarian crisis and farmers’ suicides is analysed from two important

policy perspectives at the macro level. These are:

a). New Economic Policy (NEP) and

b). Globalisation of Agriculture Trade

Relief and rehabilitation packages promise and performance

After the death of the farmer, who is generally the head of the family,

the remaining members of the family have a greater sense of insecurity. Social

stigma is also attached to them. They lack a reliable source of income and are

ensulted by fear of survival. The lenders start harassing them for repayment

immediately after the death of the farmer. Lack of capital and credit also

threaten their lives and they could not continue their cultivation. If a male

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farmer commits suicide, the female members of the deceased family face a lot

of difficulty in continuing the agriculture. They face the problems of lack of

income to conduct their daughters’ or sons’ marriages. The education of the

children also suffers for lack of income. Even medical treatment has become

next to impossible for lack of money.

Mass organisations. The Government formulated the following three

important relief and rehabilitation packages, following widespread agitations.

1. The G.O. 421

2. Prime Minister’s Relief package

3. Indira Kranthi Patham: Letter No. 3-farmer suicides- POP-SARP-2012

dated: 15th October, 2012.

The foregone discussion clearly establishes that there is a big gap

between the Governments promises and implementation. Not only are the

packages designed properly but are also not implemented sincerely and

faithfully. The failure of the Government in this regard is all pervasive. The

nature of the Government is not to help or serve the poor but to promote the

interest of the private corporate companies, both domestic as well as

multinational.

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POLICY IMPLICATIONS

1. It is recommended that the solutions to the problems of farmers’

suicides as suggested by various commissions and committees appointed

on farmers’ conditions and related aspects should be implemented by the

government immediately and fully to solve the problem of agrarian

distress and farmers’ suicides.

2. Since the members of the kind of the deceased did not derive much

benefit from government in their distressed conditions. Efforts must be

made to ensure quicker disbursal of the relief to the kin. As the relief and

rehabilitation packages are not properly designed, these should be

redesigned or reformulated to meet the requirements of the families. The

implementation should be free from obstacles like corruption and delays.

3. Indebtedness is the most important contributory factor for suicides. All

the farmers, not only those who have taken loans from public financial

institutions but also those who have taken loans from private sources,

should be relieved from their debt burdens. In addition to the debt waiver

scheme from public institutions, debt relief scheme even from private

sources should be implemented. The farmers’ dependency on the private

exploitative credit market should be reduced. All the farmers, especially

small, marginal and tenant farmers should be provided with institutional

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credit at a zero rate of interest. Loan should be provided for all crops

according to the scale of finance. No security should be demanded from

farmers borrowing less than Rs one lakh as per the guidelines of RBI and

NABARD.

4. Crop loss has emerged as the second major cause for farmers’ suicides

and hence both preventive as well as relief measures should be extended

to the farmers. Preventive measures include development of irrigation

through minor and macro irrigation facilities. Better and effective plant

protection measures should be taken to prevent crop loss due to pest and

decease attack. Drought resistant crop varieties need to be developed for

dry land farmers. The farmers should be paid input subsidy and

indemnity or compensation amount without delays.

5. The government should supply at least 50 per cent of agricultural inputs

such as seeds, fertilisers, pesticides etc. at 50 per cent subsidy from the

public institutions or agro-service centers.

6. Infrastructure including electricity, road connectivity, storage and

warehousing and cold storage facilities, agro-processing, improving

services at the market yard etc. should be created for strengthening the

base of the farmers.

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7. Remunerative prices should be provided to farmers based on the

recommendations of the Prof. M.S. Swaminathan’s Commission.

8. RESEARCH AND EXTENSION

Public funded research in agriculture shall benefit farmers, particularly

small and marginal. The research efforts at agricultural research station,

Warangal have to be diversified and intensified so as to evolve straight

varieties in crops. The seeds of straight varieties are invariably cheap.

The foundation seed may be given by the agricultural research station

directly to the farmers for multiplication and use. The cost reducing and

yield increasing technologies have to be evolved so that the cost of

production of crops in reduced and farmers are benefited.

Government must strengthen agricultural extension services by

equipping with men and material adequately and suitably to transfer the

technology from Lab to Land. Investment on agricultural extension

should be enhanced.

9. Sustainable Agriculture/Organic farming / Ecological agriculture

Chemical agriculture, which is being adopted by farmers in

Warangal district, is not only highly expensive but also environmentally

damaging and health hazardous. Sustainable agriculture with farm

produced seeds, organic manures, non-pesticide management etc is

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proved to be cost-effective. Hence, Government should extend

incentives, subsidies, credit and other support to sustainable agriculture

to reduce farmer’s expenditure on cultivation and to make agriculture

profitable and sustainable.

10. Irrigation

Tank Irrigation system in Warangal district has to be strengthened,

as tanks have to play a big role in the provision of irrigation to farmers.

A separate board may be established with necessary funds to take up the

development of tank irrigation system.

Indiscriminate tapping of ground-water should be stopped by

adopting various measures for recharging ground water and controlling

digging of new borewells recklessly and irresponsibly by strictly

implementing Water, Land and Three Act (WALTA)

11. Cooperative Service Societies / Producers’ Associations

These institutions provide quality inputs at fair prices obtained

from manufacturing or Distribution Companies through enhanced

bargaining power and also market farmer-members’ produce at

competitive prices. Farmers are thus helped by saving them from

exploitation of middlemen and corporate forces. It is, therefore

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suggested that farmers may be motivated to become members of the

cooperative service corporative and produces’ Associations. Government

has to take steps to establish these institutions.

12. Agricultural Insurance should be extended to each and every

farmer, as he is constantly facing crop loss and risk factor. Insurance

should be delinked from loans. Small and marginal farmers may be

provided insurance with 50% subsidy in premium. All the crops may be

covered with insurance facility. The compensation should be provided to

the framers within a month after the harvest. This will infuse confidence

in farmers and may act as a deterrent in taking a drastic step of forced

death.

13. Counseling and Help-lines

Camps are suggested in the villages to extend counseling to

farmers in general by the competent psychologists. Government may

take steps in this direction. Help-lines, which were started earlier by

Government may be made functional to help the farmers who

vulnerable.

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14. Protection to farmers from global market forces

Government may formulate a long term import-export policy in the

interest of domestic farmers. Restriction or regulation on import of

agricultural products is necessary so that demand for domestic products

is not slashed and prices declined.

15. Since agriculture sector is in deep crisis, top most priority needs to

be given to agriculture and allied sectors by enhancing budgetary

provision at least to 10% of the total budget of the State and the Central

Governments.

Conclusion

Gyanamudra and Vijaya Kumar .T (2006), while discussing the issue of

‘suicides’, stated that suicide is one of the most selfish, cowardly and

irresponsible act that a person can commit. The one who commits suicide

leaves a family and friends behind. It is not an isolated act committed in a

vacuum. It brings humiliation and disgrace to their family members. It brings

deep anguish to relatives and friends. losing a father, mother, husband, wife,

brother, sister, son or daughter in such a sudden and disgraceful way is a

calamity. Such a loss will haunt them for the rest of their lives unlike in any

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other form of death. This very consideration alone should make them to realize

how important for them to live in.

Whatever may be the trials and tribulations, sufferings and pains, social

humiliations and economic compulsions, harassment and tortures they are

subjected to, farmers should defeat suicide tendencies by facing all the above

bravely and confidently. It is the duty of the powers that be to infuse

confidence in them consistently through appropriate policy formulations and

implementation through good governance.

The development of agriculture and farmers is extremely important for

the overall development of the nation. A agrarian crisis and farmers’ suicides

are crippling the nation’s economy and also breaking the spine of the farmers.

The unabatedly continuing spate of farmers’ suicides should be stopped

forthwith. The family members of the deceased should be taken care of.

Agriculture should be protected and farmers saved in the interest of the people

of the country as a whole. The suggestious based on this specific study will go

a long way in providing solutions to the agrarian crisis and farmers’ suicides,

provided the Government implement them sincerely and faithfully.